Shock is a consequence of inadequate circulation due to causes that include blood loss, vasodilation or dehydration. The loss of circulation deprives cells of oxygen and nutrients and activates a powerful inflammatory response. Such states occur after injury due to war, accident, and assault resulting in massive blood loss or due to massive infection. The current therapeutic approach is to rapidly infuse fluids in order to restore circulating volume. This rapid infusion of fluids may be combined with pharmacological agents that directly constrict blood vessels. Both the infusion of fluids and the administration of drugs that constrict blood vessels cause an increase in the blood pressure. However, the pathophysiology of shock is far more complex than that which can be remedied by simply adding volume and clamping down the blood vessels to create a higher blood pressure. Once shock has occurred and the longer it persists numerous toxic substances termed mediators are released into the blood stream. These mediators create a dangerous state that is markedly different from that which existed prior to the event that led to shock.
Current methods for treating shock are of limited efficacy. Examples of resuscitation fluids are either crystalloids that contain various salts such as Ringer's lactate that rapidly diffuses out of the bloodstream and those that contain colloids or large molecules that remain in the bloodstream a longer time such as those that contain Hetastarch, a plasma volume expander derived from natural sources of starch. Numerous complications have been observed with both. Hetastarch enhances bleeding, a counterproductive property after massive blood loss. Overreliance on vasoconstrictors will raise the blood pressure but decrease tissue perfusion leading to tissue necrosis and death.
Therefore, there exists a need for a low-cost therapeutic volume expander that is capable of bringing oxygen and nutrients to the tissue and reduce inflammatory responses.